1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for improving the efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.
2. Background of the Invention
HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) systems are used to create comfortable work and living environments and provide desired climate conditions in temperature- and climate-sensitive areas (e.g., laboratories, animal shelters, food preparation areas, etc.). Many consider HVAC systems to be one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century. For example, HVAC systems have been instrumental to settling geographic areas where natural climate conditions make the areas uninhabitable or highly uncomfortable to humans.
Unfortunately, the comforts and benefits provided by HVAC systems come with significant costs. Some studies have estimated that up to fifty percent of commercial and residential energy consumption is due to HVAC systems. Not only does this effect a company's bottom line, the energy consumed by HVAC systems becomes even more significant in view of rising energy costs, global warming concerns, and the environmental harm caused by power plants or other mechanisms needed to generate electricity. Thus, advances are needed to improve the efficiency of HVAC systems and thereby mitigate the above-mentioned concerns and problems.
FIG. 1 shows one example of a conventional HVAC system 100 for a building. As shown, the building may include multiple HVAC units 102 (e.g., cooling, heating, or ventilation units 102), each connected to its own isolated duct system 104. Because the duct systems 104 are isolated, certain areas of the building may be unserviceable by certain HVAC units 102. Furthermore, in some cases, only a few rooms or zones along each duct system 104 may be occupied and thus require heating and/or cooling. This may cause many or all of the HVAC units 102 to be turned “on,” when a lesser number could theoretically satisfy the heating and/or cooling needs of the building.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed is an improved HVAC system to more efficiently heat and/or cool a building or structure. Ideally, such a system would put more areas of a building within reach of the HVAC units used to heat and/or cool the building. This would ideally allow more HVAC units to be turned off when they are not needed, thereby saving energy. Further needed is an intelligent HVAC system to exclusively deliver heating and/or cooling to areas of a building that are currently occupied. Yet further needed is an intelligent HVAC system to tailor the heating and/or cooling requirements to occupants that are currently in a room or zone of a building.